This boat itinerary covers the Southern part of Lake Maggiore,
going back and forth between Piedmont and Lombardy. The itinerary can start from Arona, and end
in Stresa, or you can do it the other way around, starting from Stresa and
ending in Arona.
This portion of boat trip takes about one hour, half an hour
with the hydrofoil, but you will savor the lake much better with the normal slow
boat. With the low season there are only a few runs of the boat, about three in
the morning and two in the afternoon, and the service is suspended during some
months, so check the most recent schedule before going.
If you start early enough in the
morning, you can get off the boat at an intermediate landing, visit the place
and wait for the next boat, that will arrive in about one hour (check the schedule).
You can easily reach Arona from Milan in about one hour train ride, on the Trenitalia state railway company, along the Sempione (Simplon) line. The same train line stops also
in Stresa, so you have a choice of possible combinations to reach one starting
point and leave from another different destination point. It takes between 12
and 17 minutes for the train to cover the distance between Stresa and Arona.
Of course you can also reach Arona, or Stresa, with a Car,
there is an autostrada that runs on the Piedmont side of Lake Maggiore,
and there are exits at both Arona and Stresa.
Arona
Arona is an important industrial, commercial and tourist
center favored by the Sempione railway line and situated in an excellent
position, fronting Angera and at the slopes of Mt. Vergante. Perhaps already
notes in the Roman era, the first historical news dates back to the 11th
century, when a captain of Ottone I had a Benedictine convent built. Of the
battles between Torriani and Visconti, which they bitterly fought over this
center, they can still be seen, the ruins of the Rocca that originally dominated
a crag from on high; but most of all it was the Borromeos who established their
feudal residence, maintaining their rule from the 5th to 18th century,
representing a historical and cultural presence of major importance.
The most
ancient nucleus of the city extends up to the hills and opens onto the beautiful
Piazza del Popolo where the third Sunday of each month a tiny quaint antique
market is held and where the mannerist Church of the Madonna di Piazza - end of
the 16th century work of Pellegrino Tibaldi, preceded by a suggestive tiny
flight of steps of two ramps - a and a progression of buildings with arcades,
among them the House of Podesta' or the 16th cent. Palazzo di Giustizia (House
of justice).
Another sacred buildings of particular importance is the 15th cent. Collegiata (Collegiate Church) di Santa Maria Nascente, completed on the 17th cent. by Cardinal Federico Borromeo. Internationally renowned is then the
monumental statue of San Carlo Borromeo, native of Arona, the then San Carlone:
an enormous copper colossus (it is possible to visit it inside), more than 20
meters tall which, poised on high granite pedestal (11 meters), dominates the
hill from on high; it was completed at the end of the 17th. cent. by Bernardo
Falconi and Siro Zanelli upon the stock of a design by the celebrated painter
Cerano and on the initiative of the Oblate Marco Aurelio Grattarolo with the
support of his cousin Carlo, Federico Borromeo.
In the square where the statue
stands there is also the 17th cent. Seminary and the Church of San Carlo both by
Francesco Richini. At Arona each year during the month of May there is an
important trade fair.
San Carlone
The Colossus of St. Charles Borromeo called friendly San Carlone, overlooking the lake with its 24 meters height to which are added another 12 meters of the base. The work, designed by Giovanni Battista Crespi, was conducted from 1614 to 1697 by Siro Zanella and Bernardo Falcone. The statue is made of thick sheets of copper combined with large nails inside there is the steep staircase that allows access to the top of the statue from where you can observe the fascinating panorama.
Angera
The boat leaves from the wharf a short distance from the
railway station, and crosses the lake and lands an the Lombardy shore, at Angera,
developed on the hillside overhanging, from which it dominates whit a splendid
view of Verbano, the famous ancient Fortress.
Today a renowned holiday site, as
well as industrial center, Angera goes back to prehistoric days, as attest the
Mesolithic and Neolithic era findings discovered in the open grotto on the hill
and recorder with the name "Tana del Lupo"(Den of Wolves) or "Antro di Mithra" (Mithra's
Cavern), from the oriental divinity cult practiced during the Roman era, when
the center was called Stazzona. Some of these findings are in exhibition at the Municipal Museum.
Along the lake-front localized horse-chestnut
trees and facing the only island of the take - the little Pantegora Island
encircled in reed thickets - the Fortress, that develops along the rocky crag.
M/N Piedmont and the Rocca of Angera
To the imposing 13th cent. Tower, starting from the more ancient nucleus, the
Viscount residence and the so-called "Scaligera wing" were added between the
14th and 15th centuries, until it reaches, between the 6th an 7th centuries, the
present installations at U. Notable, besides the building in itself, the
patrimony of historical and artistic value that are preserved inside it: from
the 14th cent. frescoes of the beautiful Sala di Giustizia to those of gothic
courtly taste coming from the Palazzo Borromeo in Milan (damaged by the 1943
bombardments).
Moreover, for some years now, the building is the residence of
the interesting Doll Museum, a collection of close to 200 dolls and games that
came from the private collection of Princess Bona Borromeo. The Rocca di Angera (Angera
Fortress) and the Doll Museum can be visited in season.
Meina
Setting off from Angera once again, having Arona opposite, the
boat passes through the narrowest part of all the lake (two km), heading once
again towards the Piedmontese shore, where, at the foot of the green Vergante
hills, they come one after the other splendid villas enclosed in parks and
gardens, among which the late neoclassical Villa Faraggiana. We reach Meina, a
pleasant tourist resort, known in the Middle Ages as Medina, where the writer
and politician Cesare Cantù resided and died.
In the following boat ride that hugs the coast from Meina to
Lesa you can spot other villas and parks, like that of Villa Cella that is very
large and spreads out up to the lake, or that of Villa Cavallini rich in rare
botanical species. The small town, situated in a tiny inlet, is the goal holiday
resorts and seat of lively industrial activity. The most significant monument of
the locality remains the Palazzo Stampa, faced on to the lake-front, where
personalities like Manzoni and Cavour used to stay.
Belgirate
Five minutes from Lesa the boat dock at Belgirate, on the
Piedmont shore a charming tourist locality endowed with numerous hotels, and
with an intense congress activity.
Here in 1858, the first Italian Oarsmen
Society was founded and a historical regatta attended by Mazzini, Cavour,
Garibaldi and d'Azeglio, took place.
While in the northern part of the built up
area rise quaint houses with arcades and loggias, on the lake-front rises the
baroque Parrocchiale with 17-18th cent. frescoes. Famous names from the
political history and culture of our 19th century are, moreover associated with
two villas: Villa Bono Cairoli where Benedetto Cairoli lived and in 1869
Giovanni died; and Villa Carlotta, where Rosmini, Gozzano, Manzoni and others
resided.
Stresa
A little later
the boat docks in one of the most prestigious and famous resident localities of
Europe: Stresa, situated in extraordinary position, opposite the Borromeo gulf
and at the slopes of Mt. Mottarone. From Stresa going 9 Km. on the scenic road
"La Borromea" in 30 minutes you reach the summit of Mottarone (1491 meters) from
which you enjoy a spacious view over seven lakes.
The ski and tourist station
can be reached also by the Stresa-Mottarone cable-way that goes from the Lake to
the Alpine landscape in 18 minutes (operating all year round, except the month
of November, with a frequency of 20 minutes from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 13.40 to 17.50).
It was in the mid- 19th century, with the first English travelers, and
at the beginning of the 20th, that Stresa, assumed that unique elegant look.
Resort spot, and important center of cultural exhibitions (such as the annual
edition of the "Musical Weeks"), of conventions and international
meetings.
Onto the beautiful beach of the lake-front the piazza Marconi opens with the
wharf and the Parrocchiale di S. Ambrogio, rebuilt in neoclassic style by
Giuseppe Zanoja in 1790. At its back the Ducal Villa is visible, built in 1770, where
Antonio Rosmini died, commemorated by the International Center of Rosminiani
Studies of which the villa is headquarter.
The greatest asset of Stresa's
position remains the splendid bird's eye view over the lake. The wide view from
the Lombardy shore with Cerro and Laveno up to the Rocca di Calde', to that
Piedmontese, with the Point Castagnola, Pallanza and, on the right, the profile
of the Rosso Mts. (Red Mts., 613 meters), up to the Ossola mountains.
The
archipelago of the Borromeo Isles, traditional site of enchantment, is connected
to Stresa every half hour by the N.L.M. (Lake Maggiore Navigation) boats.
From Stresa you can take the Trenitalia state railway back to Arona and Milano. In alternative you can take the longer
boat trip via the Borromee islands, as highlighted on this itinerary.
M/N Piedmont and the Rocca of Angera
Photo © 
Lake Maggiore -
Photo © 
